The most wonderful time of the year is just around the corner, let’s make this year our most eco-friendly, sustainable Christmas yet.

Whether you want to avoid waste like packaging or just want to get a bit creative over the festive period, here’s a few top tips to make your Christmas even greener this year.

• Save the Christmas lights until dark

We all enjoy the festive twinkling of fairy light, but why not set up a timer so you can enjoy the lights when its dark. To save annoying the neighbors, try switching them off during the night.

• Go Greener

Bring the outdoors inside – by decorating your home with natural foliage. Swap your fake Christmas tree and opt for a potted tree. Potted trees may be smaller than your typical Christmas tree, but they can literally last a lifetime. Over the Christmas period they can be the focal point of your living room, before moving to the patio for the rest of the year!

• That’s a wrap

A sustainable Christmas doesn’t have to stop at your family’s tree. Try using gift-wrap made from recycled paper. 

This Christmas, as you rip open your gifts, remember the all-important ‘Scrunch Test’ to determine if your gift-wrap can be recycled. Simply scrunch a piece of the paper in the palm of your hand – if the paper remains ‘scrunched’ it is paper-based and widely recycled in the UK. If the wrapping paper unfolds or springs back, it can’t be recycled.

To read more on sustainable tips, visit Beyond the Box Campaign at www.cardboard.org.uk/